1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to animal traps and cages having a sensor to activate the trap when the animal is located therein. More specifically, the present invention relates to a motion sensing animal trap that activates in the presence of an animal within the cage and does not kill the animal.
Animal traps are well known devices in the art that include different types of cages, trap mechanisms, and means for either capturing or exterminating animals that engage the device. These devices can be categorized as being lethal or non-lethal devices, where the lethal traps utilize a means to kill the animal while the non-lethal traps capture and cage the animal. Animal traps can further be classified as either being purely mechanical or comprised of a combination of electromechanical elements that sense an animal's presence and electronically trigger the device. Many of the devices currently available, however, are plagued with a poor design that improperly activates as an animal engages bait within the device, activates prematurely and before the animal takes any bait, or further fails to detect the presence of the target animal within its limits. The most common and well known problem of animal traps resulting in unsuccessful trapping is the capacity of the animal to eat the bait therein without triggering the trap. Animals therefore circumvent the trap and nullify its usefulness after the bait has been taken, as no animal has been trapped and the lure for the animal has been removed.
Aside from a design that does not properly activate, many users do not wish to deploy a trap that kills or maims the animal in the process of trapping it. Most lethal traps utilize a mechanically actuated arm or cutting blade, while many other traps use tacky material to trap the animal in place to die slowly. Still other devices contemplate suffocating or electrocuting the animal once drawn into the trap using an high powered electric circuit or actuating mechanism that encloses the animal within a chamber to slowly die. These types of traps can be viewed as inhumane to some users. Still others may contemplate a cage or trap that is not designed for pest removal, but rather animal capture for research or relocation purposes. This alternate application and a desire not to hurt the target animal make most conventional traps unsuitable.
The present invention contemplates a non-lethal animal trap that includes a housing having a pathway, a centrally located bait, and an electrically actuated housing closure means that traps the animal within the cage without harming it. The trap utilizes a motion sensor that detects motion within the interior of the cage, eliminating the issue of an animal removing the bait from the trap trigger without the trap being sprung. Once the animal is detected within the cage interior, regardless of its engaging the bait, the trap is triggered and the animal is trapped. The bait, therefore, is only used for luring the animal into the trap, while the motion sensor triggers the trap. The animal passes through an open door to enter the trap, after which the open door is closed and locked in place behind the animal. A microprocessor controls operation of the trap and a power supply powers the sensor and the latch actuator, which triggers the door to close. Once enclosed within the cage, the animal is trapped and the user can then carry the cage and animal to another location.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that relate to animal trap devices. These include devices that have been patented and published in patent application publications, and generally relate to lethal animal traps or those without accompanying motion sensing means for ensuring activation upon interaction with a target animal. The following is a list of devices deemed most relevant to the present disclosure, which are herein described for the purposes of highlighting and differentiating the unique aspects of the present invention, and further highlighting the drawbacks existing in the prior art.
Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 5,953,853 to Kim discloses a rodent trap that comprises a housing having an electrocution platform and a movable partition that ushers the rodent onto the platform once it has entered and been contained by the trap. An activation sensor detects the presence of the rodent having entered the trap, after which the partition is activated and drive means moves the partition through the trap interior. A removable tray of bait is placed at one end of the trap, whereafter the partition passes by the opening in the trap to seal the rodent's escape once therein. The Kim device discloses a mechanical trap having an electrical actuation and a means of terminating the rodent once therein. The present invention pertains to an animal trap that trips a trap door, enclosing the animal within the cage based on signals received from an electrical motion detector sensor.
Another such device is U.S. Pat. No. 6,865,843 to Jordan, Sr., which discloses a portable electrical mouse trap having an outer housing in the shape of a cat. Within the housing is an interior cavity that includes two motion sensors, a collection chamber, a primary gate at the opening of the housing and a secondary gate closing the collection chamber within the housing. Upon the sensors recognizing movement therein, the main gate closes and the collection chamber gate opens, whereafter a vacuum source activates to suck the mouse fully into the collection chamber, suffocating the rodent. The Jordan, Sr. device describes a vacuum powered device that kills the rodent and collects it into a chamber. The present invention pertains to a humane trap that does not kill the rodent, but keeps it contained within the cage housing upon motion detection therein and activation of the cage gates.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,016,623 to Celestine discloses a rodent trap that comprises a housing, a rodent entry ramp, and a trap door that drops the floor of the housing and causes the rodent to fall into a collection box. The trap door is activated by a high speed DC motor and activated by an infrared sensor positioned within the housing, whereby the trap door rotates between a ready position and an open position using a cam switch to return the door to its ready position. A spring biased cover and the closed trap door seal the collection box to secure the rodent therein. Once a rodent is trapped, an indicator is activated by the rodent weight on a sensor along the bottom surface of the box to alert a user that a rodent has been trapped. The Celestine device utilizes a trap door, which may or may not function properly with larger rodents. The hole in the floor, the motion of the trap door, and the capacity of the collection box may make the overall housing very large for moderate to large rodents. By contrast. the present invention utilizes the same housing to draw the rodent within the cage, whereafter the cage doors are activated by a central motion sensor that detects movement within the cage. The cage itself can be scaled as necessary, and does not rely on any transfer from one area to another within the cage as is necessary in the Celestine device.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 8,024,888 to Wetzel discloses an electronic animal trap that comprises a computer controlled, rearming and multiple killing plate construction that utilizes a beam sensor to trigger the device. The killing plates are connected to a high voltage output circuit that kills the rodent upon contact therewith, whereby the sensor triggers the circuit. The plate is rearmed after the output circuit cycles, or is placed in standby mode if the sensor detects an object remaining in its path. This allows a user to remove a dead animal on the plate without fear of contacting the plates. The plates and sensor are housed within a trap body, while visual indicators provide a user with notification of the trap mode. The Wetzel device, while utilizing a CPU controlled trap that is triggered by a motion sensor, contemplates killing the rodent within the trap. The present invention pertains to an electronically controlled and motion sensor triggered trap that contains the rodent for later disposal or relocation. The present invention utilizes the motion sensor to trigger a mechanism that drops a locking door to the trap entrance, whereafter the rodent within the trap can be relocated to another location.
The present invention provides a non-lethal, motion-sensing animal trap that activates when an animal is detected within the interior of the trap housing. The trap mechanism is tripped by an electromechanical latch or actuator that causes a trap door to close over at least one entrance to the housing, which locks into place after being tripped to trap the animal within the housing. It is desired to disclose a trap that utilizes a motion sensing means that does not harm the animal and keeps it trapped until a user is able to relocate the animal using the cage. It is submitted that the present invention is substantially divergent in design elements from the prior art, and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing non-lethal, motion sensing animal trap devices. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.